Misery in the
ashes for shanty people thrown out as rubbish From Jan Raath in
Harare

FLICKERING light from scores of small fires
illuminates the jumbled piles of furniture, roofing sheets and bundles
filling the darkened grounds of a church in a Harare
township. Around the flames, small groups of people sit in
silence or talk in undertones. Occasionally a child cries. There are about
300 people in all - mothers nursing babies, pregnant women, the elderly,
children, the sick - their belongings scattered around
them.

All have been rendered homeless by President
Mugabe's campaign to demolish the country's shantytowns and drive away the
urban poor who resolutely support the opposition. All are
distraught.

"No job, no money, no food and nothing in the
shops. Our brains are going cockeye," says Crispen Musanhi, warming himself
by the embers against the midwinter cold.

Next to him is
all he owns - a wardrobe, a few sacks of maize for a bed, blankets and two
suitcases. "My friend, this is a tsunami disaster."

Now
in its fourth week, Operation Murambatsvina ("throw out the rubbish") has
indeed created misery and devastation on the scale of a natural
disaster.

The ruthless "clean-up" operation in Zimbabwe's
urban areas has driven possibly a million people from their
homes.

In nearly every poor township of the country it has
left thousands of acres of grey concrete rubble where homes and small
businesses stood, and created a vast tide of refugees seeking shelter and
food.

In Hatcliffe, a squatter camp in north Harare, the
police destroyed not only a Catholic refuge for Aids orphans, a secondary
school and a World Bank-funded public lavatory, but on Wednesday, under the
grim eye of two local imams, they completed the destruction a Sunni
mosque.

Mussa Mukwinda, 81, the secretary of the Hatcliffe
Islamic Organisation, is sleeping in the nearby bush. "The police said, 'we
do what we want to do'. Sick people, children have no blankets, no
food."

The Mugabe regime has provided no temporary
accommodation or assistance to the victims of the mass demolitions. Everyone
has been told to go to the rural areas that are now enduring their third
year of famine.

Charities and Western donor organisations
have been threatened, harried and intimidated against helping the homeless,
or even doing surveys of the dispossessed. This particular church is one of
the few institutions in Zimbabwe that has dared to provide sanctuary to the
refugees and cannot be named lest the police drive them
out.

By night the streets of Zimbabwe's townships are alive
with small fires as people cluster in the ashes of their homes or anywhere
that provides shelter.

By day they dodge policemen armed
with automatic rifles and batons who return repeatedly to drive them
out.

Others have managed to find shelter with relatives in
houses that escaped demolition because they were built with officially
approved plans, but rents have more than trebled since the operation
began.

Most are joining the stream of overloaded buses and
lorries taking refugees and their possessions to the rural areas. Fuel is in
desperately short supply and transport charges have soared. At the
township church the priest, carrying a single candle, was supervising the
loading of a large lorry to prevent fights breaking out between people
desperate to fit their possessions on board.

But there is
scant prospect of a welcome in the tribal areas. Rural poverty has deepened
dramatically in the past five years and the sudden influx of hundreds of
thousands of destitute city dwellers is certain to intensify the
crisis.

Church and charity officials cite reports of families being
ordered back to cities by village headmen, many of whom are loyal to Mr
Mugabe and hostile to urban dwellers who are seen as opposition
supporters.

George Mashayamombe, 56, had his jaw broken in 2000
when Mugabe supporters near his home in northeast Zimbabwe discovered that
his wife was an opposition supporter. They fled to Mbare.

"Now
we are going back there. We will be lucky if they do not throw us out. But
there is nothing else to do," he said.

At St Peter Claver's
Catholic Church in the Mbare township of Harare about 100 people were
pleading yesterday for bus fares to the countryside. "We have been sleeping
in the open for three weeks," said Rindai Chekesese, cradling her limp
three-year-old daughter who has a severe cough.

"At 1am you hear
the babies start to cry. They go on the whole night because of hunger and
cold. We have to beg for food and for water," she said.

Father
Oskar Wermter, the parish priest, said: "These are the lucky ones. They have
relatives in the communal areas to take them in. There are thousands who are
city born-and-bred, or have foreign parents. They have nowhere to
go."

Last week Father Wermter found a young women with
tuberculosis, probably HIV positive, on the verge of death after spending
the night in the open. "This is infinitely cruder and more brutal than
anything the (white minority) Rhodesian administration did," he
said.

Augustine Chihuri, the Police Commissioner, said yesterday
that Operation Murambatsvina was meant to "clean the country of the crawling
mass of maggots bent on destroying the economy". He thanked the people who
had their homes destroyed "for not going wild during the exercise".

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 16, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Here is the
address Benedict XVI delivered today to David Douglas Hamadziripi, the new
ambassador of Zimbabwe to the Holy See.

* * *

Your
Excellency,

As I accept the Letters accrediting you as the Ambassador and
Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Zimbabwe, I offer you a warm
welcome to the Vatican. I ask you kindly to convey to President Mugabe my
greetings and prayerful good wishes for your nation and all its
people.

With the elections of 31 March 2005, Zimbabwe made a new
beginning in confronting the grave social problems which have affected the
nation in recent years. It is my fervent hope that the elections will not
only contribute to the immediate goals of pacification and economic
recovery, but will also lead to the moral rebuilding of society and the
consolidation of a democratic order committed to enacting policies dictated
by genuine concern for the common good and the integral development of each
individual and every social group. At this important hour in the history of
your country, particular concern must be shown for the poor, the
disenfranchised and the young, who have been most affected by the political
and economic instability and who demand genuine reforms aimed at meeting
their basic needs and opening before them a future of hope. The great
challenge of national reconciliation also demands that while past injustices
be recognized and addressed, every effort must be made in the future to act
with justice and respect for the dignity and rights of others.

In
this regard, I can only second the observations made by Zimbabwe's Bishops
on the eve of the recent elections about the urgent need for "a responsible
and accountable leadership" marked by truthfulness, a spirit of service to
others, honest management of public goods, commitment to the rule of law and
the promotion of the right and duty of all citizens to participate in the
life of society. The noble goal of attaining the common good through an
ordered social life can only be attained if political leaders are devoted to
ensuring the welfare of individuals and groups in a spirit of integrity and
fairness. Looking towards Africa's future role in the international
community, my predecessor, Pope John Paul II, insisted that "a better world
will come about only if it is built on the foundation of sound ethical and
spiritual principles" ("Ecclesia in Africa," 114).

I appreciate Your
Excellency's kind reference to the religious, educational and charitable
apostolate of the Church in your country, and I assure you of the desire of
the nation's Catholics to support the legitimate aspirations of the people
of Zimbabwe. Through her network of educational institutions, hospitals,
dispensaries and orphanages the Church stands at the service of people of
all religions. She seeks to offer a specific contribution to the future of
the nation by educating people in the practical skills and the spiritual
values which will serve as the foundation for social renewal. For her part,
the Church asks only for the freedom to carry out her proper mission, which
serves the coming of God's Kingdom through her prophetic witness to the
Gospel and her inculcation of its moral teaching. The Church thus works for
the building of a harmonious and just society, while at the same time
respecting and encouraging the freedom and responsibility of citizens to
participate in the political process and in the pursuit of the common
good.

Your Excellency, as you undertake your mission of representing the
Republic of Zimbabwe to the Holy See, I offer my good wishes for the success
of your work. Be assured that you may always count on the offices of the
Roman Curia to assist and support you in the fulfillment of your high
responsibilities. Upon you and your family, and upon all your
fellow-citizens, I cordially invoke the abundant blessings of Almighty
God.

AN African government
whose people are receiving financial aid from Scotland has been accused of
flouting sanctions in supplying the Zimbabwean police force with tear
gas.The gas was linked to at least 11 deaths, including those of five
babies, during a recent incident in Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe's regime
has been strongly criticised for human rights violations.The allegations
have been denied by the Malawian government, but could prove embarrassing
for Jack McConnell, the first minister, who has invited President Bingu wa
Mutharika to visit Scotland in November. He will be the keynote speaker at a
conference organised by the Scotland-Malawi partnership, the group that has
grown out of a partnership set up by Strathclyde University six years
ago.Amnesty International said it had received reports that tear gas has
been stockpiled in Malawi to be shipped to Zimbabwe and called on the
governments of Malawi, South Africa, the UK and US to launch an urgent
inquiry.The Foreign Office said the former British high commissioner to
Malawi wrote to the UK government last year expressing concern over the
nation's purchase of £500,000 of tear gas. A British diplomatic source also
told the BBC there was increasing evidence pointing to Malawi in supplying
tear gas to Zimbabwe.Such a large order from a country which ranks as
the 10th poorest in the world rang alarm bells and the Department for
International Development is understood to have launched an investigation
into the allegations, although it declined to comment yesterday.In the
last two weeks in Zimbabwe, tear gas has been used as police arrested 22,000
people as part of what they said was a crackdown on illegal traders. The
worst recorded incident occurred last September when 11 people were killed
when riot police moved in to evict what was claimed to be an illegal
settlement numbering up to 15,000 people in Porta Farm on the outskirts of
the capital, Harare.Although it is unclear as to whether any British
money was used to purchase tear gas, the UK government fears the Malawian
government is using "backfilling". This practice involves the diversion of
the government's own money earmarked for development projects and then using
British aid money to fill the financial black hole.The UK led the way in
getting the European Union and the US to impose a ban on sales of tear gas
to Zimbabwe in 2002 after the police were implicated in a pattern of human
rights abuses, but the Zimbabwe police have continued to obtain
stocks.The Malawian High Commission in London last night denied it was
trading tear gas with Zimbabwe. Mark Ulaya, first secretary political, said:
"The government of Malawi does not and cannot buy tear gas on behalf of
another country. If it does buy tear gas it does so for its own
security."A spokeswoman for Amnesty said: "Clearly a full official
investigation and explanation is required of why tear gas canisters from the
USA and apparently with UK and South Africa markings are being used to
commit human rights violations in Zimbabwe. No supplies of tear gas should
be allowed to Zimbabwe as long as the police continue to fire it into
confined spaces and directly at people as they have done."Mr McConnell
visited Malawi in May for five days to promote a fund for aid development
and relations between Scotland and the impoverished African nation. During
his visit, the first minister, after speaking with Bob Geldof, raised the
issue of corruption in government with Mr Mutharika.The president responded
to concerns that aid money goes astray by saying he was setting up a
completely new form of government, with clear accountability and a crackdown
on corruption.Last night, a spokesman for Mr McConnell said of public money
sent from Scotland to Malawi: "The money will be invested through Scottish
partner organisations based in Malawi and will need to be accounted for. Our
priorities are to support the development of health, education and
governance."Mr McConnell has also told MSPs that the Malawi fund, to be
run by the Scottish Community Foundation, would have no direct relationship
to ministers and politicians.In the Scottish Parliament, Mr McConnell
attacked critics of the executive-backed fund to co-ordinate project aid for
Malawi, after the country failed to meet G8 rules to qualify for immediate
debt cancellation. He insisted that ordinary Scots should continue to
contribute to direct projects aimed at assisting specific areas of the
African nation.On Wednesday, Britain suspended a planned £20m increase in
aid to Ethiopia because of political unrest.Amnesty urged all
governments near to Zimbabwe to carry out inspections to determine if any of
their tear gas may have been trafficked to the country. It said it was
concerned that the information provided in the South African and the UK
governments' annual reports on arms export licensing was insufficient for
parliamentarians, NGOs and the public to properly scrutinise what is being
sold to whom."For example, in the UK exports of tear gas products can be
recorded under 12 different category codes and in South Africa tear gas is
hidden under a category called non-lethal equipment - limited to purposely
designed demining, mine clearing and mine detecting equipment, and all
non-lethal pyrotechnical and riot control products," a spokeswoman
said.Finance ministers have announced they would wipe out some of the debt
owed by some of the poorest countries. The deal benefits 18 nations
immediately, while nine countries, including Malawi are expected to see
their debts wiped out in 12 to 18 months.

CITY of Harare yesterday said it had outlawed street
vending and flea markets in the central business district (CBD) and availed
more than 30 000 residential and business stands that are ready for
occupation.

The 30 000 residential stands are at Glaudina, Oda, White
Cliff and Caledonia farms and are ready for occupation by people on the
city's housing list.

A list of people who have been officially
allocated the residential stands will be announced in an advertisement to be
published in The Herald tomorrow.

By yesterday, at least 3 000
vendors had passed a stringent vetting test and were awaiting allocation of
stands at designated market stalls. Construction work at some stalls has
already started.

Anyone willing to operate a flea market or to do vending
at the market stalls is now required to undergo police vetting, give proof
of "legal" residence, show receipts of the source of goods to be sold and
have a national identity card. The person should be able to pay $600 000 a
month.

Senior city area administration officer Mr Kingstone Nyahore said
the stringent vetting process and requirements are meant to elbow out
criminals and restore order.

In line with this, Government yesterday
said churches and Non Governmental Organisations were free to assist the
State in re-organising the lives of people affected by Operation
Murambatsvina but reiterated that assistance should be channelled through
the office of the Resident Minister of Harare Metropolitan.

Local
Government, Public Works and Urban Development Minister Cde Ignatius Chombo
said this during a meeting with members of civic society in Chishawasha
yesterday.

The meeting was convened to find the way forward in the
restoration of order during and after the clean-up
campaign.

"Development partners have an important role to play, including
churches. If you have any assistance to give feel free to do so through the
relevant Government structures. It is up to the relevant donor to see what
type of assistance to give," he said.

The minister said churches and
NGOs should, however, not run programmes parallel to those of Government as
doing so would be viewed as resistance or obstruction.

"We want you
to come and complement Government and not to compete," said Cde
Chombo.

He said the clean-up campaign would be carried out to its
logical conclusion.

Harare Metropolitan Resident Minister Cde David
Karimanzira said the clean-up operation should be viewed as a reminder to
all citizens that the law governs the country.

He said housing
co-operatives admitted they erred when they built houses without approval
from local authorities. Once given a piece of land for housing development,
a co-operative should ensure its members get certificates of compliance,
completion and occupancy.

He said some co-operatives had built houses
without cement or foundations, further violating council by-laws.

The
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Cde Reuben Marumahoko said the police
intervened after noticing the wanton disregard of law and the decadence that
was eating into the cities and towns.

He said while there are
complains that the police was being over zealous, it was not the intention
of Government to hurt anyone during the process.

"If anybody has been
hurt, I apologise," he said.

Yesterday, police ordered residents of
Chitungwiza to destroy illegal structures and extensions or risk having them
demolished.

At last in JAG OLF Dated 8/6/2005 Kingston Dutiro has
shown himself as theracist bigot he is, and shows his wish to live in the
past forever. Tocondemn David Coltart, Eddie Cross and Trudy Stevenson as
racists, saying'they are anti-Blacks and anything done by Blacks', shows
both hisignorance and own racist bigotry. I happen to be old enough to
rememberEddie Cross being a thorn in the side of the Smith Government, and
whilst Ihave met the other two activists, I cannot comment further on
theirideology other than to say at least they have attempted to be a part of
thesolution, and not the problem which Kingston has chosen to be. One of
thefinest things about hindsight and as such History, is we can look back
andsee where mankind went wrong, for whatever reason, and ensure that we
learnfrom the past, and do not repeat the same mistakes. To condemn all
whitesfor the sins of their forefathers is no better than condemning all
blacksas uneducated godless savages. Today mankind, both black and white,
know,or should know that neither of these statements are true.

One of
the saddest things to come out of the recent madness in Zimbabwe isthe
resurfacing of past prejudices and hatreds. I believe up to about
1996Zimbabwe had probably the finest record of racial tolerance of
allcountries in the world, and up to then the relationship between
differentethnic groupings was improving. Sadly at about this time certain
utterancesby politicians started surfacing, and I said to my wife at that
time Iexpected things to start deteriorating. In December 2001 we chose
toemigrate back to South Africa to ensure our children did not have to
growup with the same racial intolerance we had to grow up with. As a
returningSouth African (having lived in Zimbabwe for over 30 years) we were
lucky tohave alternatives.

Kingstone get a life and wake up and see
the bigger picture, where your ownselfish agenda is forgotten for a moment,
and the good of the country andits people is put first. Nothing that has
taken place in the last 5 yearsis good for Zimbabwe or the Zimbabwean
people, or for Africa and Africansfor that matter. Sure a few individuals
with the correct politicalpatronage have benefited from reaping where they
had not sown, butZimbabweans as a nation have not benefited. The country as
a whole is worseoff than it was 5 years ago and so too are its people. It
takes many yearsto build up the infrastructure that has been destroyed in
such a short time- much the same way a new car can be smashed in just a
moment ofrecklessness and take months to repair often never being as good or
safe asit was before the accident.

Whichever side you perceive
yourself to support, the last 5 years ofmadness has not been good for
Zimbabwe or Africa or its people.

They say ignorance is bliss; Dutiro must have a smile from ear to
ear. Whathe says has no originality, we've heard it all before time and
again; he ismerely parroting what his masters have told him. The tragedy is
that peoplelike him will never accept that others are entitled to have a
differentviewpoint and they will never admit that they could be in the
wrong.

Dutiro says:"Bury the hatchet guys ..." Surely! I thought this was
whathappened twenty-five years ago. In 1980 Mugabe, himself, asked the
farmersto stay and build the nation. If it had not been for the promises he
madefew of us would have stayed. Unfortunately he has broken every promise
heever made and has changed the rules whenever it was politically
expedient.

Farmers accepted that land reform was necessary and made every
effort to goalong with it, but; first the laws were changed (1992); then the
agreedterms of the 1998 land conference were torn up; and finally; the
conditionsof the Abuja agreement, made a couple of years later, were totally
ignored.

The word of this government doesn't mean a thing, it cannot be
trusted;they can't even keep to their own laws. Before last Christmas Mugabe
saidthe land grab was over; today they are still listing farms and
forciblyevicting farmers; tomorrow they want to introduce a new law to
nationalisefarmland because farmers have exercised their rights to oppose,
in court,the theft of their farms.

Dutiro says he actively assisted
in the land grab. Perhaps he can explainwhy no effort has ever been made to
identify land that was "stolen" fromthe original inhabitants, as is
happening in South Africa. Surely this isthe correct and transparent way to
go about it?

My farm was bought with Mr. Mugabe's permission and with
money he lent methrough the Agricultural Finance Corporation; it was stocked
with cattlebought with the aid of Mr. Mugabe's Cold Storage Commission. I
did notsteal the land from anyone. I invested in Zimbabwe and I contributed
to thenational effort; when we had dissident problems in the mid 1980's,
Mr.Mugabe loaned me a G3 rifle and gave me three militiamen for protection.
Ienrolled with the ZRP reserves. I was a Zimbabwean and I was
fullycommitted to my country.

I buried the hatchet long ago, but
someone else keeps digging it up. Everyhour of every day the state (Zanu PF
controlled) press, radio andtelevision spit out hate speech against me and
churn out hate-filled"chimurenga" songs - who is really guilty of dragging
up the past?

If Mugabe was "protecting the peoples' heritage" as Dutiro
says, why is itnecessary to bludgeon them into submission? Why deprive them
of their freewill; their right to choose who they mix with, what they choose
to read andwhat they choose to listen to? The ordinary people are far worse
off today,in every way, than before 1980 and every Dutiro, every war vet and
everypoliceman, soldier, politician and party cadre is responsible. They
have bytheir actions or omissions contributed to the disaster that has taken
placeand is getting more serious every passing day.

I was physically
chased off the farm that Mr. Mugabe helped me to acquire;not because I had
stolen it, but because after the presidential electionsin 2002 they said it
was an MDC farm. The store we built in the 1990's hadnothing to do with the
land issue but it too was stolen from us. All theworkers and their families
lost everything; they were terrorised and chasedaway, not because they had
stolen any land, but because they were perceivedto be exercising the rights
that Mugabe said he had won for them during theliberation
struggle.

The ZRP were present and didn't lift a finger to help any of
us.

Why isn't Mugabe protecting their rights?What happened to their
"heritage"?

Dutiro, I pray that the scales will fall from your eyes so
that you can seethe truth. Then you may rejoice in diversity, see the
potential thatexists, and we could all get together to build a new and
better
Zimbabwe.

Now listen everyone, don't waste your time on any of Kingston's
letters,they are so filled with rubbish it has to be a joke. Such nonsense
is noteven worth reading or the paper it is written on. Take a deep breath
nowand think on things worthwhile and don't get drawn into that kind
oflunacy.

I have just the most heart breaking email forwarded to me by an
exZimbabwean about the tearing down of people's homes. May God forgive
thosewho know well what they do !

I don't know you, but my heart goes
out to you all, the Sisters who care solovingly for the poor and to the poor
and heartsick may God bless love andcomfort you all and may He see fit to
bring about a swift end to the cancerthat is killing His own beautiful
country and its people.

God bless you all, you are in my thoughts and
prayers.

Love from Carol Ann Brand (South
Africa)---------------------------------------------------------------------------Thought
for the day

THE VOICE OF GOD

The voice of God, what does it
say?does it speak, or silent stay?do we go or do we stay?Or is there
hiding another way?

We wait for His signs to appear,and pray for
faith and not to fear.We ask for guidance from above,and ask for Him to
show us love.

The path we take to us seems right,then comes doubt all
through the night.We seek to please and hope to knowthe will of God,
which way to go.

Lord God in Heaven, we ask of youto show us now what
we must do.The paths are many, your voice seems so still.Speak and guide
us to Your
will---------------------------------------------------------------

All
letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinionsof the
submitters, and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justicefor
Agriculture

FORMER Finance and Economic Development Minister Simba
Makoni says he lost last month's highly contested election for the African
Development Bank (ADB) presidency because he hails from Zimbabwe."I lost
because I come from Zimbabwe, not because I did not have the right
credentials for the job. Despite this, I remain proud to be a Zimbabwean,"
Makoni said."Everyone I met gave me support and told me I was the right
man for the job, but they told me that were it not I was Zimbabwean, and
came from President Mugabe's country, they would have voted for me. Instead,
they told me that it was a pity that I came from Zimbabwe."He said he
shrugged off the sentiments arguing that the reason why he had the necessary
credentials for the job was because he was Zimbabwean.Makoni was speaking at
a cocktail party this week at a hotel in the capital attended by the
Minister of Finance, Herbert Murerwa, central bank governor, Gideon Gono and
several deputy ministers, bankers and members of the diplomatic
corps.Makoni fell out of the race during the third round of voting for the
top post.In the fifth round of voting, a stalemate emerged between
Rwandan candidate Donald Kaberuka and Nigerian Olabisi Ogunjobi.After
the fifth round of voting, neither Ogunjobi nor Kaberuka, could garner the
necessary majority from the regional and non-regional votes to clinch the
position.Ogunjobi polled the majority of votes from the regional members
with 59.40 percent, while Kaberuka got 40.53 percent.Non-regional
members made up of non-African countries gave Kaberuka 58.22 percent of
their votes while Ogunjobi received 41.79 percent.The battle for the
presidency of the bank was then suspended for two months - up to July - to a
meeting to be held in Tunis, Tunisia.Events at the election unveiled a trend
that has emerged in the politics of Africa's development institutions, which
has seen Western states playing a starring role in determining the fate of
what should be largely African institutions.It is widely believed that
the minority western owners of the Bank, who collectively own a 40 percent
stake in the financial institution, pushed Kaberuka's election
forward.Incidentally, Nigeria had stood accused of trying to buy off Makoni,
as he was considered current ADB vice president Ogunjobi's strongest
challenger for the presidency.The Nigerians have denied the
charges.Makoni is believed to have suffered from the influence of Western
countries and their hostility towards a country that has been sidelined from
participation in multilateral financial institutions over the past five or
so years. Makoni is also on the list of people placed under 'targeted'
sanctions by the US and the European Union.Those opposed to his election
argued that the sanctions would curtail his abilities to effectively carry
out his duties.Makoni served as the Minister of Finance and Economic
Development in the 'war cabinet' of President Robert Mugabe between 2000 and
2002, before he departed from the Cabinet following broad economic policy
disagreements with the President on some key issues such as the exchange
rate.Zimbabwe has been ostracised, especially by the West, for engaging in
land reforms which resulted in many white commercial farmers losing their
land.African countries have also been divided over Zimbabwe, with some
neighbouring countries voicing open support for the land reform in Zimbabwe
while others have been critical."That's why we did not win the (ADB)
election. I think for our African leaders it's part of our homework to
ensure that we are united if Africa and initiatives like Nepad are to
succeed," the former executive secretary of the Southern African Development
Community (Sadc) said."Between 1984 and 1993 it was a special honour for me
to serve as the executive secretary of Sadc and it was another honour for me
to get a second opportunity to serve Africa as ADB president 12 years
later."Makoni jokingly said he failed to get support because his home
address was 'Mbare' and not 'Borrowdale' - meaning he did not hail from the
right quarters.

POLICE yesterday took the countrywide
clean-up exercise to farms when they started evicting illegal settlers in
Mazowe, Mashonaland Central Province.The province in one of the country's
prime farming areas is also a stronghold of the ruling Zanu PF whose
supporters and war veterans spearheaded farm occupations in 2000.Harare
Province police spokesperson, Inspector Whisper Bondai yesterday confirmed
that "Operation Restore Order" had spread to the farms."We are in Mazowe
where we are removing all illegal settlers at the farms there. I don't have
the actual names of the farms that would be visited but all those who do not
have offer letters would be evicted. I will furnish you with further details
later in the day," he said.He was, however, not reachable by late afternoon
yesterday.The minister of State Security, Didymus Mutasa - charged with the
responsibility of land reforms - indicated a fortnight ago that all those
who settled on farms without offer letters would not be spared by the
clean-up exercise.Meanwhile, police and Chitungwiza Municipality have
also warned residents in the town to destroy all illegal structures in the
country's third highly populated urban centre.Town clerk, Simbarashe
Mudunge said the local authority started warning residents about the
impending move by the council on Wednesday."We have sent out municipal
police to warn residents to start destroying all illegal structures on their
own without the intervention of the Zimbabwe Republic Police," he
said.Bondai also warned residents to remove all illegal structures adding
the operation was a reality people should take seriously."The operation
is a reality and all people should remove their property on their own. We
have also received intelligence that there is a group moving around at night
and encouraging people to resist the operation, but I just want to warn them
that the police will deal with them and all those who resist accordingly,"
he said.A number of illegal housing co-operatives, which were scattered
around Chitungwiza three weeks ago, were razed.The clean-up exercise -
meant to restore order, destroy illegal structures and brief -case
businesses - has left many people homeless and without sources of
income.

THE
HIGH Court on Wednesday granted businessman Phillip Chiyangwa an order to
evict his Old Citrus Farm workers in Mashonaland West after failing to agree
on new employment contracts.Chiyangwa, the former Chinhoyi legislator and
the province's suspended Zanu PF chairperson, took the 36 employees and
their families to court before Justice Tedious Karwi.The farm was
allocated to Chiyangwa in 2002 by the government.Handing down his verdict,
Karwi ordered the "ejectment of defendants and all those claiming through
them from the premises known as Old Citrus farm compound, Chinhoyi."The
36 were also ordered to pay the costs of the suit.In court papers in which
Chiyangwa is the sole plaintiff and Try Denson and 35 others were the
respondents, the businessman said the farm workers were issued with summons
on May 9 this year, but they did not enter a notice for appearance to
defend.Through, his lawyers Ziumbe and Mtambanengwe, Chiyangwa said from
their actions, the workers did not have any legal right to continue to be on
the property."At the time the farm was allocated to me, defendants were
living at the farm compound for the sole reason that they used to work for
the former owner of the farm, one Mr Nicole. I submit that the defendants
have no legal right to remain in occupation of the farm compound and that I
was entitled to seek for their immediate eviction as explained above," said
Chiyangwa.Currently, the businessman's ownership of the property hangs in
the balance after the Municipality of Chinhoyi said it approached the
government intending to acquire it for purposes of peri-urban
development.

NON-BASIC commodities continued to overflow on the shelves of
Harare's major supermarket chains during the course of the week, three
months into chronic shortages of mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil, and fresh
dairy products that have propelled consumers onto a resurgent
black-market.Ever since the shortages became evident, industry has
attributed the state of affairs to the country's worsening foreign currency
plight that has made the cost of inputs vital in the production of some
commodities prohibitive.At three supermarkets visited in the central
business district (CBD), bread was only in short supply at one supermarket
while the other two had ample supply of the commodity selling at the new
controlled price of $4 500 per loaf.However, one supermarket was selling
whole wheat bread and sesame seed bread at $5 900.But cooking oil, sugar
and mealie meal continued to be out of supply, with mealie meal in
particular not being seen on the shelves of most supermarkets since the
beginning of April.However, other non-basic commodities, such as popcorn,
canned foods, cold meats, the various new fruit juices, and biscuits have
been overflowing on the shelves of the same supermarkets.Beer was one of
the non-basic commodities that was also in short supply in the major retail
outlets.At shops where it was available there was either just one brand of
clear beer or imported beer.For instance at OK Supermarket at the corner
of First Street and Nelson Mandela, the imported Windhoek Lager from Namibia
was selling at $17 600 - almost 100 percent the price of the locally
produced beers that cost an average of $9 000 each.The basic commodities
that have been scarce in supermarkets and registered selling outlets have
been overflowing on the black market where they are fetching high
prices.While industry has been arguing that the shortages are due to the
foreign currency problem, their simultaneous emergence on the black market -
in abundance and at unbelievably high prices - has remained a cause of
concern for a sceptical government that continues to bust corruption
activities involving tonnes and litres of hoarded basic commodities
daily.A 2kg packet of sugar, that should sell at $8 500 in shops and all
registered retail outlets, can be purchased for at least $30 000 on the
black market where it is found.The commodity has not been available in
most supermarkets for a long time, a situation that has been prompting long,
bulging queues at the entrance of those few supermarkets where the commodity
can be bought.

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
(RBZ) and seed houses have concluded a framework that will enable the
country to import all its maize seed requirements by end of August this
year, an official said on Thursday.RBZ Governor, Gideon Gono told delegates
attending the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association annual congress that mechanisms
had been put in place to import 21 000 tonnes of maize seed by end of August
2005."We concluded the time frame for delivery of maize seed for the summer
crop by seed houses last week," Gono said."We agreed with Pannar and
SeedCo that by end of August this year all the seed must be in the country.
We already have the structures in place and trucks are already
moving."Gono said the central bank would meet with fertiliser companies next
week to map out a strategy for timeous importation of fertiliser to ensure
farmers had access to critical inputs on time.Gono emphasised the need
for a centralised input procurement framework in future to assist farmers
access inputs timeously.He said the delay in procurement of inputs had
contributed to a decline in production and profiteering by suppliers at the
expense of growers."The delay in input procurement is now resulting in
suppliers making more money than growers," he said.Meanwhile, Gono
applauded the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union for announcing plans to
establish agro-based firms to provide better services to its members.He
urged other farmer organisations to do the same so as to boost agricultural
production in the country.

THE European Union (EU)
has extended the travel ban and freezing of assets imposed on Zimbabwe's
presidency, Cabinet members, government officials and senior Zanu PF
officials from 95 to 120 effective June 13 this year.Yesterday, the Minister
of State for National Security and Zanu PF national secretary for
administration, Didymus Mutasa, dismissed the expansion of the list as a
non-event."The devil is continuing with its devilish ways. We do not expect
any good from them. They want us to level the playing field for the MDC
while they are not levelling it with Zanu PF. The ban means we won't be able
to go to Europe to tell the public there about the lies they are spreading
about Zimbabwe," said Mutasa.The EU imposed the sanctions arguing that
there was dearth of democracy, human rights abuses and the muzzling of the
media in Zimbabwe before, during and after the 2000 and 2002 parliamentary
and presidential elections heavily contested by Zanu PF and the MDC
respectively.Zanu PF won both elections."I wonder whether their (EU)
commission is doing any work here? They should have told EU that our
election was free and fair. That is what the commission here is telling us
in our offices," Mutasa said.The revised EU list now includes news faces:
Manicaland Provincial Governor Tinaye Chigudu, Deputy Minister for Industry
and International Trade Phineas Chihota, Minister of State for Public and
Interactive Affairs Chen Chimutengwende, Zanu PF Politburo Committee members
Alice Chimbudzi and Victoria Chitepo.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
(ZEC) chairman George Chiweshe, Chairman for Electoral Supervisory
Commission (ESC) Theophilus Gambe, Minister of Information and Publicity
and his deputy Tichaona Jokonya and Bright Matonga were also added on the
list.Mashonaland East Provincial governor Ray Kaukonde, Deputy Minister for
Rural Housing and Social Amenities Joel Biggie Matiza, Minister of Foreign
Affairs and his deputy Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Obert Matshalaga
respectively, Deputy Minister for Health and Child Welfare Edwin Muguti,
Minister for Water Resources and Infrastructural Development Munacho Mutezo
were also included.The net also captured Zanu PF Politburo deputy
Commissariat Richard Ndlovu, Deputy Minister for Agriculture Sylvester
Nguni, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Hubert Magadzire
Nyanhongo, Zanu PF Politburo Deputy Secretary of Science and Technology
George Nyathi, Zanu PF Politburo Deputy Secretary for Finance Khantibhal
Patel, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Public Works and Urban
Development Morris Sakabuya and Zanu PF Deputy Secretary for Transport and
Social Welfare Tendai Savanhu.Chief Elections Officer Lovemore Sekeramayi,
Deputy Minister Economic Development Samuel Undenge and Deputy Minister for
Science and Technology Patrick Zhuwao also suffered the ban.Meanwhile,
British Foreign Minister Jack Straw has attacked the government clean up
exercise dubbed Restore Order and Murambatsvina respectively.Straw said the
British government had joined other EU members in condemning the operation
aimed at restoring order throughout the country."In response, we have joined
our EU partners in demanding that the Government of Zimbabwe end this
crackdown, in a statement on 7 June."Our Ambassador in Harare has raised our
strong concerns, directly to the Government of Zimbabwe, in meetings with
the Vice President and the Minister of State for National Security," said
Straw.He added that British government would remain in close contact with
its EU partners and other international organisations to "maximise pressure
on Zimbabwe to end this brutality."Straw stressed his government and its
allies in EU were discussing with neighbouring African states and regional
African bodies to stop the clean up exercise. Mutasa confirmed meeting
British Ambassador Rodrick Pullen over the clean up exercise."I told him
(Pullen) that the British want us to apply the rule of law and when we apply
it like what we are doing with the clean-up exercise they criticise. What on
earth do they want us to do? I also reminded him that in Europe they are
also carrying out a clean-up exercise, which will see 400 000 homes being
destroyed," Mutasa said.

A
GOROMONZI magistrate court on Monday issued an interdict stopping Goromonzi
Rural District Council, Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri and the member
in charge of the area from destroying houses belonging to two men from
Takadii Village during the on going clean-up operation.The applicants,
Phillan Zamchiya and Langton Masvosva, filed an ex-patre application last
Friday through the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, which was granted
unopposed."Respondents and all those acting through them are hereby
restrained and interdicted from evicting, threatening to evict or harassing
applicants and all those claiming occupation through them from their homes
at Takadii Village," read the court interdict. "Respondents and all those
acting through them are hereby restrained and interdicted from destroying or
threatening to destroy applicants' homes and any of their property."In
his founding affidavit, Zamchiya said his family had been living in the
village since 1993 with the express authority of Goromonzi Rural District
Council. "I have been at Takadii since 1993-1994 when my mother,
Virginia Zamchiya and my now late father Simon Zamchiya moved there from
their original home in Chipinge. My father's transfer to Goromonzi was done
with the blessing and authorisation of Goromonzi local authorities," he
argued.Zamchiya added that the local authority had authorised their stay in
the village and had even recommended to Zesa that the power utility
electrify their homestead.He said he was shocked to hear that their
homes were to be destroyed by police without any lawful order to do so,
adding that their homes were not illegal structures as they were built with
the full knowledge of the local authorities.In his supporting affidavit
Masvosva said he also tried to prove to the police that he was not an
illegal settler when they notified him of their intention to destroy his
dwelling "I would only like to add that after the police came to my home for
the second time on June 9 I offered to show them papers showing that the
local authority approved my staying there."They declared that they would
go ahead with the demolition whether I was there legally or not." he
said.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono, has
called on Zimbabweans not to be alarmed by the rise in inflation in the past
few months, saying the increase will be arrested before year-end."The
increase in the annual inflation to 144,4 percent in May 2005 from 129,1
percent in April, 2005, should therefore not cause any alarm, as this
temporary trend reversal is expected to be arrested in the remainder of the
year," he said.He was referring to the sudden rise in annual inflation
beginning April this year after having fallen from 622, 8 percent in January
last year to 123,7 percent in March 2005.Early this year, Gono revised
the inflation target from 30 percent to 80 percent by year-end after taking
into account the impact of the drought on the macro-economy."The
unfolding drought situation is expected to exert a considerable degree of
exogenous shocks on the economy's inflation outlook," Gono said when he
presented his monetary policy review last month."This inevitable
development, thus requires that more anti-inflation measures be put in place
so as to ensure that we steer the country's enemy number one (inflation) to
sustainable low levels much quicker."Meanwhile, Gono said the central bank's
liquidity management systems would be tightened further in the second half
of the year so as to fight off inflationary credit growth.This was
expected to further buttress the various supply side interventions, he
said.He called upon the corporate sector to optimise its capital budgeting
systems, supported by alternative sources of funding such as diversification
of ownership structures and disposal of non-core assetsHe urged the
business community, labour and the civil society to exercise the highest
level of restraint in the face of the temporary trend reversal on the
inflation front.Gono added that highest levels of restraint were required at
this juncture as the government and monetary authorities were working to
address the drought-induced food shortages and re-align the country's fuel
and energy prices, which had moved way out of line with
regional prices.Zimbabwe's fuel is the cheapest in the region, a
development that has seen some people illegally exporting the commodity for
sale at higher prices in countries beyond the borders.

Business
ReporterMONETARY authorities will not tolerate any indiscipline that seeks
to scuttle the rejuvenation of tobacco production in this country, Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono has said.

Addressing the
45th annual congress of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association yesterday, Dr Gono
underlined the need to ensure that production of the country's major foreign
currency earner would increase significantly in the coming
seasons.

"If we are to give full meaning to our current and departed
forebears' fight for equitable distribution of land as a primary resource
for empowerment, we have to ensure that this noble cause of land reform is
not derailed by the few misguided acts of vandalism on the farms.

"As
your central bank, we have repeatedly said that any attack on a tobacco
barn, irrigation equipment or greenhouses is an attack on RBZ's cash vaults,
for the simple reason that such acts directly constrain the economy's
foreign exchange generative capacity," said Dr Gono.

Growers, as the
people on the ground, should help fight indiscipline by exposing all
retrogressive incidences of infrastructure vandalism, he said.

It was
also imperative that growers were supported through adequate training, as
well as sufficient extension service provision, to enhance their
capacity.

"It is for this reason that we call upon the Zimbabwe Tobacco
Association and other farmer representative bodies to work closely with
agricultural training institutions, as well as Government ministries towards
capacity development.

"As your central bank we stand ready to give
the necessary support to ensure that our growers are transformed into
efficient, highly productive and innovative entrepreneurs," added the
governor.

Drastic changes in the country's rainfall patterns during the
last 100 years had made it mandatory that agricultural systems be focused
more towards irrigated production.

"It is for this reason that RBZ,
in close collaboration with the Government, has put in place a $1 trillion
irrigation rehabilitation fund, which is meant to significantly gravitate
the agricultural sector away from over-reliance on natural
rainfall.

"Delaying this new thrust would necessarily translate into more
devastating exposure to the vagaries of recurrent droughts, thereby
perpetuating the country's current foreign exchange shortages," added Dr
Gono.

Dr Gono said the central bank applauded the determination,
expressed by President Mugabe when he opened the Sixth Parliament last week,
towards greater focus on investment protection and rectification of
inadvertent injury to investors which may have transpired during the land
reform programme.

"As monetary authorities, we will ensure that this
progressive aspiration by the country's leadership is translated into
tangible programmes of closer ties with our investor communities both local
and international.

"We are also pleased that all relevant arms of
Government, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are also working
tirelessly to ensure that the country's relations with the investor
community are normalised, as part of the turnaround programme," added the
RBZ governor.

Tobacco accounts for a third of the country's total foreign
currency receipts and various stakeholders are doing their best to rebound
its production.

The central bank has been in the forefront to ensure
that production is increased to pre-2000 levels when more that 200 million
kilogrammes were produced.

Vision 160, launched last year and
targeted at producing 160 million kilogrammes, was derailed by the drought
and late disbursement of funds and inputs.

The above challenges
notwithstanding, at least 100 million kilogrammes are expected to pass
through the auction floors this season.

CHINESE automobile manufacturer First Automobile Works
(FAW) is considering setting up a vehicle assembly plant in Zimbabwe, where
it has found a niche market for its range of buses.

Zimbabwe United
Passenger Company (ZUPCO) chief executive officer Marko Kandengwa told The
Financial Gazette this week that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to pave
the way for the FAW vehicle assembly project would be signed
soon.

The rebuilding public transporter recently acquired 50 buses from
FAW, with more orders expected to follow.

"We are going to be signing
an MOU with FAW with respect to setting up an assembly plant and then
conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of the project," said
Kandengwa.

Kandengwa could not be drawn into giving figures, saying the
cost of the project would be determined by the feasibility
study.

This is however, not the first time that investors have explored
possibilities of establishing a vehicle assembly plant in Zimbabwe. Pioneer
Motor Company, which acts as an intermediary for Swedish bus-makers Scania,
stitched up a supply agreement with ZUPCO a few years ago and was
considering setting up an assembly plant.

However, payment problems
resulted in relations souring between the two and the plans have since been
put on hold.

ZUPCO, whose fleet has been severely depleted owing to poor
maintenance levels and lack of recapitalisation, has announced plans to
boost its fleet to about 1200 buses, with the Chinese emerging as preferred
suppliers in line with the government's 'Look East' policy that has also
seen national airline Air Zimbabwe procuring three aircraft from
China.

Early this year Vice President Joice Mujuru indicated that a joint
venture, with the Chinese to set up an assembly plant was being
considered.

A CLOUD of uncertainty is hanging over the licensing of
a second Zimbabwean passenger airline, with Pioneer Airlines (PA) directors
and the regulatory Air Services Board (ASB) sending out conflicting signals
over the issue.

Pioneer Airlines, fronted by the Rudland brothers Hamish
and Simon, made an application to operate a passenger airline last year and
have recently expressed consternation over the inordinate delay in having
their application processed.

While ASB chairman Karikoga Kaseke, who
is also the permanent secretary in the Transport and Communications
Ministry, said last week Pioneer Airlines had not provided certain
information requested by the licensing authority, PA officials were singing
a different tune.

"They did not provide the board with all the
information about their project. We require for example the business plan,
routes . . . I have not done a follow-up on that but as soon as they provide
all the required information, the board will work on their application,"
said Kaseke.

Pioneer Development Corporation (PDC) director Hamish
Rudland insisted his company had furnished the board with all the required
documents upon its application.

"That is not correct. In fact, we
have furnished the board with all the documents along with our application
but have had to submit more documents to the ASB after they lost our
application and all supporting documents. We are still waiting to hear from
them since last year when we applied. If that is the position then we have
not received this in writing," said Rudland.

The Rudlands have said their
plans for the airline, including negotiations with potential South African
partners, have been held up by the licensing delays.

It is standard
practice for the regulatory authorities to give a mandatory 28-day window
period within which objections over the application can be raised. So far no
objections have been made, according to the Rudlands.

The company has
signed a joint venture agreement with an unnamed South African firm but says
"structural and regulatory concerns" were still outstanding.

The
Rudlands' entry into the airline industry is expected to give Air Zimbabwe,
which has suffered chronic capacity constraints, a run for its
money.

The planned airline venture is also expected to test the
Rudlands' business acumen in an industry where several small private
airlines have suffered costly stillbirths.

. 'Within hours,
whole livelihoods were destroyed'By Lance GumaLast updated: 06/17/2005
10:41:53FOR years, he sang to prop up Robert Mugabe's regime but then a few
days back Dickson Chingaira (better known as Comrade Chinx) had the roof
fall over his head, literally that is.

Police demolition squads
descended on a mansion he built near Ngungunyana Housing Co-operative,
between Mufakose and Kambuzuma in Harare earlier this week.

The area
was mainly occupied by war veterans but has not been spared in the ongoing
Operation Murambatsvina.

Eye witnesses said the war veteran who has for
years been an engineer at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings pulled a gun
and fired shots in the air as the police arrived at his house.

"That
did not deter the police, and in a last throw of the dice, he asked to be
allowed to talk to President Mugabe," a witness told SW Radio Africa last
night.

That failed too.

"He went on top of the roof knowing
police would not knock the structure down when he was petched high up
there," the unnamed witness said.

"The police persuaded him to come down,
but gave him a thorough beating once he got to the ground."

SW Radio
Africa sources say he is badly bruised around the rib area and his face is
scarred. A friend told the station he broke a leg. Officials at Parirenyatwa
Hospital also confirmed that Comrade Chinx was indeed admitted at the
hospital.

The irony of the situation is his loyalty to Zanu PF. During
the land invasions, he became a figure head for the violent land seizures.
He composed and also sang Hondo Yeminda, a song given excessive airplay on
state radio. The song denigrates blacks who associate with whites as
"sellouts" and calls the whites "devils".

Pedzisai Ruhanya, a
Zimbabwean journalist, said the onslaught on war veterans had the backing of
Vice President Joyce Mujuru who was hitting back after the war veterans'
leaders Joseph Chinotimba and Jabulani Sibanda both backed her bitter rival
Emmerson Mnangagwa for the vice presidency.

"It is instructive to note
that the Mnangagwa camp has kept quite on the police raids," said Ruhanya.
"This operation is hitting some elements of the war veterans hard because
the war veterans rejected Mujuru's imposition by Mugabe."

Mugabe has
instigated a purge of the war veteran leadership and the current incidents
of war vetereans housing schemes being destroyed tied in neatly with the
strategy, said Ruhanya.

Former minister Kate Hoey has rebuked the
government for inviting South president Thabo Mbeki to the G8 summit at
Gleneagles next month.

The Labour MP for Vauxhall said it was sheer
hypocrisy for Mr Mbeki to speak in support of the "Making Poverty History"
campaign while his administration was "complicit in the totalitarian
actions" of veteran Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe.

Miss Hoey has just
returned from a fact-finding mission in Zimbabwe where she said she
witnessed scenes of "wanton destruction" and "urban blitz" by Mr Mugabe's
thugs.

Miss Hoey said it was disgraceful that Mr Mbeki has been invited
to the summit as he was "an unashamed ally and apologist for the monstrous
Mugabe regime".

In a statement, Miss Hoey asked rhetorically: "Why
should my constituents be asked to cough up more money in aid while most of
Africa's leaders collude in protecting Mugabe from criticism at the United
Nations?"

Speaking of what she saw in Zimbabwe, the chair of the
all-party Zimbabwean parliamentary group in the Commons said: "It is the
middle of winter in Zimbabwe and I saw families with tiny children forced to
sleep in the open.

"I saw the army and police ransack townships,
demolishing homes.

"In their orgy of destruction they were even burning
blankets and children's clothes.

"It is like Pol Pot all over again.
I can't believe we have invited Mbeki to talk about Making Poverty History
while he continues to prop up Mugabe's regime.

"Mbeki is complicit in
these totalitarian actions by Mugabe and the British government must not let
him get away with hiding behind a smokescreen of
anti-colonialism."

With South Africa the largest economy on the
continent and a founding member of the New Plan for Africa's Development,
the Foreign Office said Mr Mbeki was an important partner on a range of
international issues.

"As with all relationships, there will be some
issues of disagreement and of marked disagreement and they have got to be
managed."

Foreign secretary Jack Straw said previously he was aware of
the "horrific and ruthless actions" of Mr Mugabe's government.

He
added the Britain government would collaborate with the international
community to restore "democratic governance, human rights and the rule of
law to the people of Zimbabwe".

"The hundreds of thousands who
have been left homeless call this Zimbabwe's tsunami"

Zimbabwe atrocities unveiled

8.42PM, Thu Jun 16 2005

ITV reporters have risked two years in prison to
bring the latest on Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe's attempts to crackdown on
opposition supporters.

The UN estimates that more than 200,000 people have
been left on the street as thousands of homes and even an orphanage have been
bulldozed by President Mugabe's policy of Operation Restore Order.

Foreign journalists are banned from Zimbabwe, but
working covertly and in defiance of the authorities, ITV News has learnt of the
sheer scale of the destruction that has taken place over the past two weeks.

1.
General comment

THIS
week the government media censored news of the job stay-away announced by the
Broad Alliance, a coalition of civic organizations and the opposition MDC, to
protest the inhumanity of the government’s purge of poor urban inhabitants
living in allegedly illegal homesteads.

This
latest violation of Zimbabweans’ rights to be adequately informed – in this case
about the sentiments of their compatriots – once again illustrates the
government’s determination to suffocate any news that may reflect badly on its
policies and activities.

Nothing
demonstrates this better than the very titles used by the government media to
describe the authorities’ evidently inhumane blitz on its hapless victims.
“Clean-up” and “murambatsvina” merely portray a necessary technical
operation devoid of any requirement for implementing a humane and civilized
policy. That “murambatsvina” has caused so much destitution, homelessness
and grief are facts that cannot be expected from media organisations that are
obliged to defend government policies however cruel and inhumane they may be;
which is why the sheer scale of human suffering caused by the blitz on
Zimbabwe’s urban populations cannot be found this week – as in any other – in
the government-controlled media.

This
too, is censorship of the very worst order, particularly because government’s
precipitous action is a burning issue that so seriously affects, at the very
least, hundreds of thousands of people. All that can be gleaned from the
government media are sterile piecemeal reports of the authorities “clearing”
various urban sectors without any effort to assess the extent of the suffering;
the numbers made homeless and destitute and the extent of the material losses
incurred.

That the
private media have not managed to tackle this topic successfully indicates lack
of diversity, limited resources and a reluctance on the part of the authorities
to provide such information, let alone a credible explanation for inflicting
such an inhumane exercise on the urban poor.

It is
the duty of the media, particularly the public media, to demand answers to these
all-important questions. But the government media have only carried stories that
ameliorate the devastation of murmbatsvina and have failed beyond measure
to report fairly the extent of the suffering and why it was
necessary.

Predictably
then, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings only reported on the planned stay-away when
the protest had flopped. Even then, ZTV (9/6, 8pm) only made reference to the
issue in the context of its attack on the MDC, which it accused of
“deciding to dine and wine with the enemy while Zimbabwean issues are
under discussion” by boycotting the official opening of
Parliament.

Instead
of fairly reporting the party’s reasons for boycotting Parliament, ZTV merely
claimed the MDC’s decision “coincided with the party’s unheeded call for a
stayaway over the current clean-up campaign in a bid to sabotage the
economy”.

This
unprofessionalism was also apparent on Radio Zimbabwe and Power FM, which also
ignored the Alliance’s calls for the stayaway in their main news
bulletins.

The
Herald and
Chronicle (6/6) adopted a similar stance.

The two
government dailies also indirectly referred to the planned protest in the form
of a police threat to deal “ruthlessly” with anyone who would
participate in the “illegal” stayaway planned for “some
time” during the week. No dates were provided as the papers claimed the
details of the stayaway “still remained sketchy by last night”,
although the previous day The Standard (5/6) had provided details of the
civic protest.

The
Herald (8/6)
only provided the dates for the protest the day before it was due to take place
- buried in its article on murmbatsvina on page
two.

The
Sunday Mail
(12/6), which had ignored the matter the previous week, led with the
failed stay-away claiming that its failure had resulted in the organisers
dissociating themselves from it. But there was no evidence in the article to
substantiate this.

2. Purge
of the urban poor

THE
government’s demolition of houses, makeshift industries and market stalls in
urban areas ostensibly to clean up the cities continued to dominate the media.

The
broadcast media carried 70 stories on the matter. Fifty-seven were on ZBH (Power
FM [17], Radio Zimbabwe [13] and ZTV [27]) while 13 were on Studio 7. The Press
featured 59 stories on the subject, 24 of which were in the
government-controlled Press and 35 in private papers.

All the
stories carried by the government media however, were largely premised on three
main objectives:

To
legitimise the purge as a noble exercise whose virtues the shack dwellers had
also acknowledged by “voluntarily” demolishing their own
dwellings

To
portray government’s compassion for the affected people

And to
magnify the purported benefits accruing from the exercise as reflected in the
numerous “scams” involving illegal dealings in gold, fuel and
basic commodities unearthed by the operation.

For
instance, 13 (54%) out of the 24 stories the government Press carried focused on
these themes. The rest were mere “technical” updates on the exercise in various
urban and residential centres countrywide. Similarly, 28 (49%) reports of the 57
stories ZBH carried were devoted to presenting the authorities as making efforts
to provide alternative accommodation and vending stalls to the victims of the
operation, while the rest slavishly endorsed it.

Consequently,
the colossal human suffering, mainly characterized by massive internal
displacement of hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans, was hardly covered. The
official media, for example, did not provide statistics on the exact number of
people displaced and its effects on workers and school-going children. Neither
did they measure the cost of the exercise to the economy or explain how the
cash-strapped government would finance the resettlement of those that it had
dislodged.

Rather,
in one of its reports portraying government as caring for the victims, ZTV (6/6,
8pm) passively quoted Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and Science and
Technology Deputy Minister Patrick Zhuwawo saying government had demarcated
nearly 10,000 residential stands at Whitecliff farm for allocation to
“deserving people”.

There
was no attempt to inform viewers about the criteria government intended to use
to allocate the stands.

This
disregard for any socially responsible journalistic instinct was also apparent
in Power FM’s reports (7/6, 6pm) and again on ZTV (7/6, 8pm) that about 1,000
people who had been successfully vetted as informal traders were to resume
operations at legal structures provided by the authorities. Again the stations
did not question how these people were “vetted” or the fate of thousands of
other informal traders who had lost their only source of
income.

The
government Press was equally unquestioning in the six stories they carried on
government’s commitment to provide vending and residential stands to the
clean-up victims. For instance, the papers did not question whether the
authorities had the financial and logistical capability to see out their plans,
especially in the midst of crippling, fuel, electricity and food shortages in
the country.

Instead,
these papers irrelevantly reported that Britain was conducting a similar
operation in an effort to portray murambatsvina as a normal activity.
While they did note that Britons had been given two years’ notice, there was no
reference to the lack of notice urban Zimbabweans were
given.

The
official media’s professional incompetence in handling the issue was reflected
in their dependence on the authorities as shown by the voice distribution on ZBH
in Fig.1.

Fig 1
Voice distribution on ZBH

Station

Govt.

Alter-native

Ordinary
People

Reader

Local
Govt

ZANU
PF

Police

Business

ZTV

9

3

8

1

2

3

3

2

Power FM

3

3

0

3

0

0

1

1

Radio
Zimbabwe

6

7

0

3

1

1

0

0

Total

18

13

8

7

3

4

4

3

Although
the voice distribution in the government papers also appeared fairly diverse as
illustrated in Fig 2, most of the comments were used in the context of
legitimising the exercise.

Fig. 2
Public Press voice distribution

ZANU
PF

Ordinary
people

Govt.

Local
Govt.

Alternative

Unnamed

Judiciary

Foreign

14

13

5

3

5

2

2

3

But the
government media was not alone in endorsing Operation Restore Order. The
Financial Gazette (9/6) columnist Denford Magora also simplistically
justified the exercise on the basis that “the illegal structures,
flea-markets and roadside vendors were nothing but dens of
iniquity”.

However,
the story was the only variation in the 48 reports that the private media
carried on the operation. Thirty-five were in the private Press while the
remaining 13 were on Studio 7.

Even
though the private media also failed to provide estimates of material losses,
they did carry informative revelations about the extent of the displacement and
the inhumane implementation of the operation. For example, the private papers
put the figure of those who have been displaced so far at 200 000. In addition,
the private media also publicised the local and international criticism of the
operation.

Notably,
they recorded the first tragic consequences of the operation that has since
resulted in three deaths. For instance, The Standard (12/6) reported that
a two-year old was killed by the debris from a collapsing house in Mabvuku,
while in another incident, it reported the police ordering mourners to remove a
corpse from a makeshift building before they torched it.

Studio 7
(8/6) also reported the death of the child and that of an elderly man who died
of shock following the demolition of his shack. Earlier, The Daily Mirror
(7/6) reported that a man made homeless had committed
suicide.

The
private media also carried four stories reporting international criticism of
murmbatsvina. For example, the Zimbabwe Independent (10/6) carried
a report in which the United Nations and the European Union urged the government
to stop the blitz, which they said constituted human rights violations. The
paper quoted UN special rappoteur on the right to adequate housing, Miloon
Kothari, describing government’s exercise as “a form of
apartheid”. Studio 7 (6/6), The Financial Gazette (9/6) and
Sunday Mirror (12/6) also carried Kothari’s
comment.

The
analytical manner in which the private media handled the issue was reflected in
the private Press’s balanced sourcing pattern. All official voices, including
those of the police, were quoted defending the operation while the rest of the
voices mostly criticised it. See Fig 3.

Fig.
3 Voice distribution in the private Press

Police

Ordinary
People

Govt.

Local
Govt.

Alternative

ZANU
PF

Unnamed

Business

Foreign

3

10

3

2

8

2

9

3

3

While
the private papers sought comment from the authorities in their stories, Studio
7 compromised its coverage by failing to balance independent views with official
comment.

3.
Commodity shortages and price increases

THE
government’s month-long campaign against the urban poor appeared to divert media
attention from other pertinent developments such as commodity price increases
and shortages. As a result, these topics received inadequate coverage in the
media during the week.

For
example, none of the media gave a holistic picture of the situation regarding
commodity shortages and skyrocketing prices and service
charges.

Instead,
ZBH glossed over such matters by carrying 41 stories, which sought to present a
glowing image of the country’s agricultural productivity and assuring the public
that the authorities had taken adequate measures to avert food
shortages.

For
example, Radio Zimbabwe (6/5,1pm), ZTV and Power FM (7/6, 8pm) passively quoted
Grain Marketing Board boss, Samuel Muvuti, saying the parastatal was
“sourcing enough food to feed Zimbabweans” as “50
trucks…come into Zimbabwe with food”per day. But Muvuti was not
challenged to explain the tonnage the trucks were bringing and what percentage
of the required 1,8 million tonnes the amount imported so far
represented.

ZTV’s
reluctance to discuss the scale of commodity shortages manifested itself in 6pm
bulletin (10/6) which carried an isolated report on bread shortages in Mutare.
But it evaded the causes of the scarcity claiming “it was not clear why
there are shortages”. No attempt was made to relate the situation in
Mutare to the nationwide state of affairs.

This
uncritical stance was reflected in ZBH’s over-reliance on official comment as
shown in Fig 3.

Fig 5
Voice distribution on ZBH

Station

Reader

Govt

Alternative

Farmers

Business

Professional

Unnamed

Power
FM

3

6

1

3

1

1

0

Radio
Zimbabwe

0

4

1

2

0

0

0

ZTV

0

6

1

6

1

0

1

Total

3

16

3

11

2

1

1

Like
their broadcasting counterparts, all but two of the 13 stories the official
Press carried on the matter absolved government of any economic mismanagement
while invariably blaming it on the country’s detractors, corruption and the
black market.

This
blame-game occasionally assumed absurd levels with The Manica Post, for
example, noting in its editorial: “…the drive to self-enrich that had
gripped Zimbabwe until the recent clean-ups is not an indigenous phenomenon, but
a derivative of Western corporate capitalism”.

The
paper seemed to be amplifying President Mugabe’s speech made on the eve of the
opening of Parliament, reported in The Herald (9/6) We’ll never
collapse. The Herald passively reported Mugabe narrowly blaming
Zimbabwe’s economic problems on drought and the evil machinations by “some
people… European Union countries, the United States and Australia” who
were “always contriving to bring down Zimbabwe”.

Besides
blaming others for the country’s economic problems, the government-controlled
papers also carried six stories that portrayed Zimbabwe’s agriculture as on the
mend and that government was importing sufficient grain to ward off
starvation.

However,
The Herald Business (8/6), like the private Daily Mirror (7/6) and
Studio 7 (7/6) reported that the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ)’s
month-on-month cost of living basket had jumped by 28 percent from about $2.3
million in April to over $3 million in May. These two reports were part of the
18 stories the private Press carried on the subject.

Although
the private media, like the official media, also failed to fully update their
audiences on the commodities in short supply or those whose prices had gone up,
their stories were more informative. For instance, they continued to expose
government’s distribution of food relief on party lines (The Standard)
and the adverse effects of government’s land reforms on food production (The
Daily Mirror, 8/6 and Zimbabwe Independent).

And
while The Sunday Mail reported that the shortage of dairy products was
artificial, The Daily Mirror (8/6) disputed this by quoting a commercial
farmers’ leader saying, because of the botched land reforms, it was likely to
take three years for the dairy industry to produce adequate milk for the
country.

Ends

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